Abby made her way off of the station platform and jumped in the first carriage that she came to thankfully it was empty for the moment but she knew it would not stay that way

Austin hopped into one of the carriages. The girl in it looked familiar, although they hadn't spoken before. "Hey, I'm Austin." He said sitting down across from her. The boy figured it would be good to get pleasantries out of the way.

Abby had seen Austin about the common room so knew he was a fellow eagle but hadn't spoke to him before and said "Pleasure to meet you Austin, I am Abby" Abby was glad to have some company on the ride up to school

"The pleasure is all mine, Abby." Austin wasn't sure what to say next. He wasn't so great at conversations. Which was something he knew he had to get better at. If there was ever a time, it would be now, right?

"So, ready for that feast? I know I am."

Abby smiled at Austin and said "Yes i am actually ready for the feast and i am curious to find out if there has been any changes in the staff line up for this year"

That does seem to happen often. "Hopefully there's not a new potions teacher. I've gotten to know the Professor." Austin had grown to like Professor Cosgrach, even if he didn't do his best to get to know him. But It was nice to see the same face every year. Espeically in a topic he loved so much. But a new change in staff meant that Austin would have to grow to like the new one. Maybe, if there was a new professor, he would introduce himself. Hopefully the new professor Austin conjured up in his head liked him.

"Anyone from last term you're hoping to see again?"

Abby thought and said "Well i am not sure as a few of my friends i was close to have graduated and i am not really sure if am looking forward to seeing anyone" Abby wasn't wanting to get her hopes up about seeing her boyfriend as she had not heard from him in a long time

The term was barely among them and already Tia sensed some sort of rivalry among her fellow prefects, which had her anxious to leave the compartment the second the train pulled into Hogsmeade station. Only, as she approached the familiar carriages that would take her to Hogwarts, the Head Girl felt a sinking realization that this would be 100% the last time she ever rode these carriages. In June, she would ride the boats from the castle.

Make this year count, Tia, she mentally reminded herself, as she helped herself into the first carriage she came to which had free seats. There were already two students there, both of whom were fellow Eagles, but only one of which she knew.

"Hello Abby! How was your Summer?" Tia asked by way of conversation, before turning towards the younger male also present. "Hi there, I'm Tia. I don't think we've met before."

Abby smiled at Tia and said "My summer was pretty good thanks Tia, how was yours?

"I'm Austin." He said with a smile. Two new friends in one day. That was an accomplishment for him. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Maybe this year was going to be different. Last term he set out to make friends, and only made one or two new ones. This year he had already met a first year (who was probably heading to the boats now) and two new 'Claws. This was shaping up to be a great start.

"I've also had a great summer. What about you Tia?" He wasn't really invited to speak about his summer, but he figured he'd chime in. They were all on the same carriage after all. And it would be awful if they all sat in silence.

"That's good to hear. The sisters were alright then?" Cause you know, she finally figured out that Abby was related to the Valentine girls in Gryffindor. It only took her two years. "My Summer felt way too short, to be honest. I'm both excited to be back here and also sad, cause last year. But it's going to be a good one, I can feel it." Yup, yup. Eagles for the cup, if it was the last thing she did, she would go down with a fight!

"Nice to meet you, Austin." And she just sort of said how her summer was to Abby, but it wasn't really solely directed at her, but to the both of them. "What year you going into, Austin? Are you new to Hogwarts?" He wasn't a first year, or he'd have taken the boats, she knew that much.

Abby smiled at Tia and said "Hopefully we will do well enough to take the house points cup it would make you proud in your last year Tia"

Austin chuckled. "No, not new. Just quiet. I've spent most of my time either in the library or in my dorm room. Mostly behind my beat up potions notebook." Which was sitting in his messenger bag at this very moment. It was like a security blanket to him. Which wasn't a bad thing, at least he was learning things. Or memorizing them. He was taking tests this term. "Are you ready for your last year? And your tests as well? I'm going into my fifth year, and I've got the O.W.L.S this year, and to be honest, I'm only ready for potions."

As Abby spoke, it did make him wonder about the points. It had been a long time since they won the house cup. It would be nice to win it this year. He was sure Tia felt the same way. "It would be nice to win one for a change."

It was good to know his cousin hadn't abandoned him for the term but Merlin you'd think he could stay put for a second. The moment they'd left the train, Blaise had a lot to think about and a cousin he seemed to have misplaced AGAIN.

Just his luck.

The young Gryffindor climbed into one of the empty carriages and took a seat promptly after. "That's enough." He told the quill and notepad following along behind him. The other notepad was in his trunk, if he wasted these pages on the carriage ride, he would miss what promised to be a wonderful feast...despite not ending up a feast per say.

Once the quill and notepad fell into his hand, he stuffed them in his pocket and gave a look around. Did he REALLY have to wait for three other people before the carriage moved off? What even made them move? Magic?

It was a predestined plan, honestly.

Olivia, even before setting foot on the Hogwarts Express, had made the conscious decision that she would NOT be traveling to the castle via boat. There were a few reasons for this, too; the most ABSOLUTELY important of them being that she simply didn't want to. See, Liv (MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE ENTIRE WORLD) wanted to be with her friends (and her cousin, Phillip). Given that all these people were older, and wouldn't be riding in the rickety boats WITH her, she'd made sure to ask her mum for details. One couldn't bend the rules if one didn't know them, right? Not that she was going out of her way to bend rules.

Nope, that was an added bonus. Could she get away with it?! Disclaimer, even if she didn't, it wouldn't be much sweat off her back. Honestly, it would only inspire the tiny blonde to try harder. Mhm. Like priority goal-setting. It was how she'd managed at home with her fun-sucker mum. Mhm.

So, with minimal foresight involved, Olivia had sweet talked a second year Slytherin boy (named Oliver, like from Oliver and Company, so CUTE!) out of his robes and tie. With promises of jelly slugs and liquorice wands, and then being told she 'owed him', she'd quickly changed into them; tying her hair up into her usual ballerina bun. As an aside, her mum had once told her to be careful about her hair, as people could use it to make dangerous potions...which didn't scare her. Curiouser and curiouser. Mums. Anyway, Liv was hoping to be sorted into Gryffindor (so she could be like her daddy and Alice Fischer), but she supposed Slytherin wouldn't be too bad. Phillip was a Slytherin, and he was the best person on the planet...and her mum had been one, too, as an afterthought. As it was, it was like she was playing dress up and then acting out a role. In the Disney movie Aladdin, Princess Jasmine had done something similar; to escape palace life.

Hehehe.

With Gus wrapped around her shoulders, nuzzling his little white face into Oliver's robe, she casually approached the carriages. She TOTALLY belonged here. Did they see the Slytherin patch on her robes...and the tie?! ALREADY SORTED. Yep. So, you know, don't mind her. Nope, she was just going to join Blaise. He was her friend, you see. Also, she'd claimed him. Yep. "Hey, Blaise," came her greeting as she made herself comfortable in the carriage. Yep, still totally belonging; even with the standard look of mischief plastered across her face.

Bentley had been looking for Daxton and or Torrance but could he find them? Nope. What further annoyed the boy was the fact that in his search he lost his cousin. Was he just going to have a bad day or something? He hoped not. He had epic plans for today and they would not be foiled.

Finally he spotted the head of his cousin and ran to the carriage that he got into...couldn't risk having other people take his spot after all.

"Alright alright...make room." He said as he got up into the carriage. "Where the bloody hell were you? I was looking all over!"

He gave Blaise's friend a nod and a smile before turning his frown on his cousin again.

It was the most curious thing. His First Year friend was walking toward him with Slytherin robes on. It was a moment of disappointment before his brain functions kicked in and he remembered it wasn't at all possible...which...only made it all the more curious and he was starting to think maybe he shouldn't have put away his quill and notepad. Huh.

Blaise watched Olivia enter the carriage and knew immediately what had happened. "Passing up your shot at seeing the squid?" He asked by way of greeting. "How come you're wearing Slytherin robes?" Meant in the simplest way possible. As in....why hadn't she borrowed a Gryffindor's? He didn't think green suited her very well. Nevermind the fact she wasn't meant to be wearing sorted robes in the first place or even at the carriages.

AND THERE WAS BENTLEY!!

"Well it took you bloody long enough. I turn my back on you for two seconds and you pull a houdini." He was done waiting now. He'd found his cousin and so he gave the carriage a hard thunk. "You can go now." And JUST LIKE MAGIC it started moving, only he didn't even need to use his wand which was amazing.

"Excited for the sorting?"

Situating Gus more comfortably on her lap, Olivia SNIFFED delicately...a gesture that wasn't at all serious. Naaaah, she was still putting on a silly act, JUST IN CASE, ya know? She didn't want to be forced into the boats. This princess' mind was made UP. "All the people I like best are too old for that journey." So, here she was, basically.

Adventures were lame if you couldn't bring your people along with you. Hmph!

Also, haha, about the Slytherin robes..."Well, I had half a mind to demand a set of yours...but then I didn't see you after our fantastic trolley scene..." She suppressed a giggle. "How do I look?" the tiny blonde began vogue'ing in Oliver's ensemble, twisting and turning her head; her interpretation of what 'modeling a look' would entail. Once again, Phillip was a Slytherin. Green would be okay just for that reason...

She'd been about to say something more when the carriage door wrenched opened, allowing a flash of light from the lanterns outside. Another boy was joining him...and Blaise seemed to recognize him. OH! Bentley!!! Liv instantly perked up, taking more interest. Blaise had mentioned him before. Bentley was the cousin; the one she'd assumed was poor...Well, this was BRILLIANT. She could claim them both now. She'd have a matched set! Her bright eyes glittered at the idea.

...and about being sorted...

"I'll be very upset if a manky hat puts me somewhere I don't want to go." DID THE FATES HEAR THAT?! A tantrum of epic-sized proportions would descend upon it, and then, she'd go straight to her dad and demand a resort. He was on the Board of Governors, you know? He'd easily make it all better. Obviously, there wasn't anything he couldn't fix or make right. "I'm hoping for Gryffindor, however. It's the best house." Her dad had been one...and Alice Fischer. Fischer = quidditch idol.

...and she'd noticed the Gryffindor patches on the two boys robes. Her slight buttering up techniques wouldn't hurt a thing, surely.

Dora g a s not enjoyed the train ride very much after certain events had occurred... but she brightened JUST A SMiDGE as she made her way to the carriages. Claiming an empty one for her own sue sprawled a bit and just... waited? Like... where were her people?!?! Sam and she had been separated on the platform, but certainly she would find her, no?

Casting a wary glance at the other carriages she pulled the Catwoman comic from her bag and at least PRETENDED to be busy so maybe no one would speak? MERLIN where had this feeling of hermit-tude come from? Making a mental note to ask her dad later she peeked periodically over the comic and WAITED. Yep. WAITING.

Somehow Sam had got separated from Dora on the platform before she could say about meeting up at the feast. And then when she was meant to be following the other first years towards the boats, she miiiight have been a little distracted by the skeletal-like horses she saw in front of the carriages.

What WERE they? Could she stroke one?

She did anyway, not realising how weird it might look to others who couldn't see them. The person in the carriage was reading a comic anyways, so probably wouldn't notice. Right?

Seeing as she was peering over the top of that comic now and again, she spotted Sam immediately and just STARED. Why was she up heeeeere? She was a first year! "Sam... you're supposed to be down at the boats! And then you have to get sorted!"

She couldn't help but smile, though. She was glad to see her. "And they're called thestrals. They look weird, but they are said to be very nice... and only able to be seen... by certain people." Dora looked sadly at Sam and nodded. She could see them, too. She had seen her mother pass when she was a young child. Mhm. She got it.

"Want me to walk you back down to the boats?"

She looked up from stroking the skeletal-horse as she heard her name. "Got distract'd, didn't I?" Sam admitted with a sheepish grin at Dora. She had been going down to the boats, honest!

"Dis is wat a thestral looks like?" Huh. She'd heard the name before, but never a description or seen a picture. "Seems to like bein' stroked." Far too gentle for it's appearance, really. She'd only ever heard them associated with bad things in the past. "Y'lright?" A sadness had seemed to sweep over her friend at something. The reason for being able to see them, perhaps? She assumed Dora could see them too if she could tell that Sam had been petting it.

"Only if ya want to. Don't want ya to lose yeh seat."